Stop & Shop, union talks continue

Monday

Feb 25, 2013 at 12:01 AMFeb 25, 2013 at 2:31 PM

After their collective bargaining agreement with Stop & Shop was set to expire at midnight Saturday night, five local United Food and Commercial Workers unions and the Quincy-based supermarket chain are continuing talks.

AUDITI GUHA

After their collective bargaining agreement with Stop & Shop was set to expire at midnight Saturday night, five local United Food and Commercial Workers unions and the Quincy-based supermarket chain are continuing talks.

"Negotiations with the unions that represent our associates are continuing, and our associates are working under the terms of our current collective bargaining agreement while these discussions are ongoing," sad Suzi Robinson, spokeswoman for Stop & Shop New England. "Stop & Shop remains committed to reaching a fair and reasonable contract that benefits our associates, their families and our customers."

UFCW representatives could not be reached for comment, but according to the union website, the union has agreed to a contract extension through midnight Sunday, March 3, as written in a Feb. 24 post.

"We continue to negotiate through Sunday trying to deal with the legal hurdles that have been created by the Federal Health Care Law (the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act) better known to all of you as 'Obama Care.' Trying to get around some of these hurdles has created serious legal consequences that both sides continue to work on," the online post stated.

The negotiations affect approximately 40,000 union associates in five union locals in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, including associates from the Local 328 working at SouthCoast stories in Fairhaven, Fall River, East Wareham, North Dartmouth and New Bedford.

Stop & Shop last month set up hiring centers to recruit temporary replacement workers in the event of a lockout or strike, which has not yet taken place.

Union officials on Thursday canceled member meetings scheduled for Feb. 24 because an agreement had not yet been reached, according to a Feb. 21 post on the UFCW website.

The post indicated the majority of talks had then centered on health benefits for full- and part-time employees. "It is the belief of these locals that any previous outstanding 'language' articles have been settled," the post stated. "Again, we wish to notify you that absolutely no discussions have taken place regarding wages. .. It is our intention to keep your employer here for as long as needed up to expiration night in order to secure a fair and equitable contract proposal."